Cinnamon Kisses
by FireStorm1991
Summary: Story seven of the baking series. The Christmas season is a time full of family togetherness and fun. Even baking traditions seem to hold more meaning this time around, especially with the newest addition to the family.


Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters.

Well, it is time for another baking one-shot. I felt that since last year on this very day, I posted my first one, Gingerbread Kisses. Now, since the series has become so popular, I felt it would be nice to do another one for Christmas. So Merry Christmas!

* * *

Vegeta, surprisingly, could not be found training in the GR. It wasn't because of the cold or snow outside, as that had never stopped him before. It had more to do with the fact that he was in the house, not training, as he stood over a bassinette holding his little girl, Bra.

When she had been born, everything seemed to change for Vegeta. First, he was able to see how strong his mate was, putting up with giving birth for a second time. Vegeta reasoned that he would never be the one to put her through that again. Two, he got to see how gentle his son was when he held his little sister for the first time after everyone was recovering from the exhausting day. He had not ruined his son as he had expected he would, being as hardened as he was for the longest time. And three, the second he saw his daughter, something he thought he'd regret having, his chest clenched and he found himself loving her with everything he had. Maybe that was what he was missing with Trunks. He had missed the boy's first moments, and now he regretted it.

That was why he was in there with Bra now, while Trunks was out shopping with his grandmother. He could sense the boy's ki and knew he'd be home soon, in time to help his mother with more baking. Right now, he was refusing to leave Bra. If spending more minutes with her meant some sacrificed training time, he would do it. He wanted to be more active with his family.

He had heard Bulma ask Trunks one day if he felt like he was missing anything in their family element. Vegeta knew she was asking him because she had been working a lot that month and he and Trunks barely got to see her, but when the conversation got turned to him, he couldn't stand it.

Trunks didn't feel like he was a bad father, but he did want to spend more time with him, without training. After that, Vegeta tried his best to accommodate his son's wishes, but other than the baking at holidays, he didn't know how to do that. But he wanted to.

How much time had he truly missed with his family? Well, he wouldn't miss anymore. If he learned anything from this life, he knew that it was short and there would always be the threat of loss hanging over their heads. He wouldn't waste any more time.

With Bra still asleep, he gently picked her up and began to walk to the kitchen. She stayed asleep, curling up against her father. Vegeta didn't even try to hide his ghost of a smile as he felt her small body cuddling with his as if he, the rough and tough Prince Vegeta, was a safety blanket. It made him remember that he wasn't Frieza's hardened killer anymore. That life was put behind him long ago, and he would not be having a repeat of it.

* * *

He found Bulma in the kitchen, sprinkling cinnamon onto some cookies. Vegeta licked his lips. She was making the eggnog snickerdoodles he enjoyed so much. Finding out he had liked the cookie had been an accident. The cinnamon added spice to the sweetness and it was something he couldn't help but enjoy.

Bulma wasn't moving very fast, but it looked like she planned to make a lot. That only meant one thing. She wasn't making the dessert for a banquet, party, or picnic. She was making the snickerdoodles for the two of them and Trunks. He wondered what that meant.

Bulma could feel Vegeta's presence in the room, but she continued with her work, smiling. It wasn't until she heard a small noise coming from her daughter that she turned to face them. Her heart melted at the sight of her mate holding their little girl so delicately yet protectively. It was like when she was pregnant. Vegeta was holding their daughter as if she were a piece of glass that he could break at any moment.

"Hey, you're just in time," Bulma said with a smile. "I was about to start on another batch." When Vegeta did not respond, looking at her with all seriousness, she became confused. "What's up?"

"I don't want a competition," Vegeta grunted out, not wanting to admit it. He saw that Bulma looked shocked. He did not respond as he walked over to her and took his free arm, curling it around her waist. He spun her around in his arms so that she was facing him and laid his head on hers as the two of them held their baby girl.

Bulma was a little surprised by her mate's gentleness, not that he hadn't been gentle with her before. It just seemed like something was bothering him. She looked up to observe his expression. As he inhaled, taking in her scent, she saw his expression relax and a ghost of a smile appear on his face. Right now, he was serious. He didn't want the competition, or even the memory of baking with his mother as a child. He wanted the closeness that he rarely felt, and Bulma couldn't argue with that.

Bra began to wake up. A few months old, she had been more advanced than most her age. She didn't cry when she woke up unless no one was around, and she was already on her way to eating actual food. Then Bulma frowned remembering that, like her when she was a child, Bra had a mild cinnamon allergy (she would never buy random store bought peach baby food again). It would probably be lessened in the future, but Bulma did not like the idea of Bra being around this much cinnamon. Noticing Bulma's expression, Vegeta told her, "Don't worry; she'll be fine." Bulma trusted his words and turned back to the stove to continue her baking. Vegeta just held her and Bra close to him as she did so.

* * *

Yamcha realized it hadn't been long since he had been at Capsule Corp. He had tried to visit Bulma weeks before, but she had been too busy watching the baby while Vegeta trained. The human believed that Bulma deserved better than the arrogant Saiyan prince who refused to spend time with her. She deserved him.

But every time he would get up the nerve to talk to him, something would happen. Where Bra took all of Bulma's attention last time, the time before, Trunks managed to spill something on the human. Snickering, the boy muttered an apology and went outside to train with his father. Yamcha could tell the boy did not like him all that much.

With Bulma's parents leaving that night for a vacation, Yamcha knew it was his best shot to talk to her. Vegeta would probably be training, and Trunks would probably be with him; Bra would be napping around this time; and Bulma would not be baking for any party or banquet as Capsule Corp. would not be hosting one that year. With his eyes shining with determination, he let himself into the compound and headed towards the kitchen since it was around lunchtime.

The door was closed to the kitchen and Yamcha grew nervous. Usually the door was only closed off when someone was cooking, namely Bulma and Vegeta. Yamcha silently cursed the door before he heard Bulma's high-pitched voice.

"Vegeta, not so much," she said in alarm.

"What?" the Saiyan scoffed. "It will just add more spice to our lives."

"Yes, but I don't want you using it when you're holding our daughter!" Bulma exclaimed.

"Relax, she could use a little more spice too." Yamcha's eyebrow rose in both confusion and curiosity.

"Vegeta, she's allergic!"

"She's a Saiyan. It won't kill her."

"But she's also human and has an allergy, so please, just let me handle the cinnamon while you're holding her."

By that time, Yamcha already had the door opened and was glaring at the Saiyan prince. Bulma and Vegeta both looked at him as if he had more than one head and was green like Piccolo.

"Yamcha, what are you doing here?" Bulma asked while dusting cinnamon off of herself from working with it all day.

"I wanted to talk to you, but I see you're dealing with the most irresponsible Saiyan in existence at the moment," Yamcha said accusingly.

Vegeta held a growl back, not wanting to frighten his daughter. Besides, his and Bulma's glare were making Yamcha cringed enough.

"Vegeta is NOT irresponsible, Yamcha," Bulma defended. "He just likes cinnamon."

"He is too," Yamcha argued. "Was he even paying attention to Bra? Did he forget that she even had an allergy?"

"No, I did not forgot," Vegeta snapped slightly. He did not like being accused of forgetting something so important. In fact when they found out Bra had a food allergy, he had never been more scared of anything in his life, not even Frieza. "I was paying attention. The cinnamon was nowhere near her."

"Yamcha," Bulma called out, bringing both men's attention to her, "I think you need to leave. Today is a family day. As soon as my mother gets back with Trunks and these cookies are done, we're going away for a week _as a family_."

Vegeta was shocked, but he didn't let it show. Bulma had not talked to him about going away. All she said was that she was taking care of Christmas and he didn't need to worry about any parties. He had no idea that she was planning a family trip, away from everyone else and the GR. The time he desired, she was giving to him and he couldn't ask for a better Christmas present.

"You are?" Yamcha asked, breaking Vegeta out of his musings.

Both Vegeta's and Bulma's patience were wearing thin with Yamcha's presence.

"For the love of…" Bulma growled slightly. "Yes, we are. It was supposed to be a surprise, but seriously, we need to get ready. I want you to leave. And honestly, you can still come for parties and everything, when you're invited, but stop dropping by the house unannounced and letting yourself in, especially when we all need our family time."

Yamcha didn't get a chance to respond as Trunks and Mrs. Briefs came into the kitchen. Trunks pushed past him, hiding a mischievous smirk, delighting in the conversation he just heard taking place. He ran over to his parents and gave both a hug while kissing his little sister's forehead.

Bulma smiled. "Hey, did you have fun shopping with grandma?" Bulma asked Trunks, her attention now on her little boy.

Yamcha was left standing awkwardly in the kitchen as Trunks told her and Vegeta of his adventures that day and his grandmother buying him a sled and other snow related things for their trip. Meanwhile, Mrs. Briefs was gushing over her half-awake granddaughter. Vegeta looked over to Yamcha who looked slightly hurt by being displaced. His face remained expressionless, but serious as he stared the human down. When it finally dawned on Yamcha that he was not welcome, he slipped out of the kitchen and out of the compound.

"Oooo, snickerdoodles!" Trunks said happily as he reached up to grab one. Vegeta wasn't very surprised when the boy took more than one, but was surprised that he only stopped at two. Trunks surprised him even more when Trunks went over to him and handed him the cookie. "Here, dad. Your favorite."

Vegeta looked to the cookie in shock, but took it and ate it. He looked down at his smiling son and smirked down in return before ruffling the boy's hair.

"Aw, dad," Trunks whined with a laugh, "now I have cinnamon in my hair."

Mrs. Briefs decided to take Trunks from the kitchen to rinse the sugar out of his hair when Bulma walked back over to Vegeta. She took his hand and both lovingly and seductively licked the cinnamon and sugar from her mate's hand.

"What are you doing?" Vegeta asked breathlessly.

"Making sure that not of the cinnamon gets on our little one," she whispered before moving to kiss his lips. When she pulled away, she grinned. "Now let's go pack." Then she took Bra from her husband and raced upstairs. Vegeta was left to stare at her in shock, wanting to continue on with their make out session.

"Hmph, darn tease…"

* * *

A/N: And the snickerdoodles on my end are done, and the gingerbread batter is chilling. :) Everyone have some wonderful family time this Christmas ^_^


End file.
